Bundling machine



Aug. 1947 N. c. HEAToN ETAL BNDLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16,' 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet l .C 1 m r 6 n n 1./ f ,n C f 1v n f7] HMC Il v di 4 W5 f H35 m BUNDLING MACHINE Filed Sep't. 16, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 HIII Aug. 12, 1947# l N. c. HEATON ET AL BUNDLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 frzz/erzor; aarz a Hed 021.

N. c. HEATON ETAL 2,425,430

BUNDLING MACHINE FiledSept. 16, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheiet 4 T71 I/e r1 fo 115. Wai/7am Uffa@ fon,

Aug., 12, 1947.

-I 4 E HEWnwva j l G O l0 O O l .wf Uf lill Patented Aug. 12, 1947 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE BUNDLING MACHINE.

Illinois Application September 16, 1943, Serial No. 502,624.-

(Cl. 10G-31) 10 Claims.

This invention relates to a bundling machine and more particularly to a machine adapted to tightly bundle together a plurality of elongated objects such as rolls of wallpaper for the purpose of facilitating the tying together of the objects into a secure bundle, adapted for wrapping for shipment thereafter.

Heretofore in bundling a plurality of elongated objects for shipment it has been the practice to manually arrange the objects parallel to one another, to thereafter manually arrange the objects in a generally cylindrical shaped bundle and thereafter by the application of a cord tying member arranged around the girth thereof to draw the objects tightly together and at the same time securely tie them into a permanent bundle. In applying Iproper tension to the binding cord manually to draw the objects into a tight bundle, it has been found that the rough cord soon results in injury or laceration of the operators hands, particularly where such operator arranges a large number of such bundles during the course of a given period.

It is an object of the Apresent invention to relieve the operator of the manual strain of drawing a plurality of elongated objects into a tightly arranged bundle and to provide mechanism for tightly bundling a plurality of such objects so that tying cords can be applied to the bundle withoutA the necessity of applying any particular tension to the cord itself.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for tightly gripping and bundling a plurality of elongated objects such as rolls for Wallpaper without injuring the objects but at the same time bundling them sufciently tight so that one or more cords may be loosely tied around the bundle to the end that upon release of the bundling pressure the cords may secure the objects in a unitary unit adapted for packaging.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type described capable of adaptation to resulting bundles of widely varying size.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is expressly understood, however, that the drawings are employed for illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits f the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims. In the drawings, wherein similar reference marks refer to similar parts throughout the several views:

. forming arms I6 4and I8.

Figure 1 illustrates a longitudinal vertical section of the apparatus, the section being taken close to one side of the machine so as to provide an elevational view of the mechanism of the machine, the section being taken substantially on the plane l-l appearing on Figure .5 hereinafter referred to.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side View of a portion of the mechanism illustrated in Figure 1 showing a step in the operation of the apparatus.

Figure 3 is a further longitudinal vertical sectional view similar to Figure 1 and showing the apparatus positioned in a third step of the operation thereof.

Figure 4 is a transverse horizontal Section taken substantially on the plane 4- 4 of Figure l and illustrating the motivating cylindery for the apparatus.

Figure 5 is a top plan View of the apparatus in the position illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a horizontal section of the apparatus takensubstantially on plane B--B of Figure 1 and illustrating the winding drum and as sociated rotating elements in top plan.

Figure 7 is a detailed View of the `control valve and a safety interlock feature andy is taken substantially on the line 1--1 of Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a section taken through a portion of the framework and an end of the wrapping strap, substantially on the line S-8 of Figure 5.

Referring to Figure 1 there will appear a framework comprising uprights In and Il and substantially horizontal brace members l2 and I4 which in turn support a pair of arcuate basket A plurality of objects such as rolls of wallpaper, rolled newspapers or the like are illustrated at 20 resting upon the arcuate arms ltand I8 forming the basket. The frame is additionally provided with drum supporting horizontal frame members 22 and 24 extending between the uprights lil :and Il of the frame and cylinder supporting members 2t and 28 extending parallel to the members. 22 and 24 at a position lower in theframe. The arcuate basket lforming members i6 and i8 are suitably spaced to support the objects adjacent their ends so as to provide an intervening space for bundling straps which are mechanically operated as will appear hereinafter. The basket is provided with transverse members 30 and 32 on one side thereof and the other side is left open for facility in loading and operating the apparatus. The frame is provided with a transverse member 34 immediately beneath the basket upon the open side thereof. i

In order to bundle a plurality of objects 28, positioned within the basket, land apply suitable pressure thereto to facilitate the placing of a cord around the bundle and the tying of the cord, crossing straps 36V and 38 of leather or other suitable material are provided. The strap 36 is centrally positioned between the basket arms I6 and I8 and is provided with :a handle at one end generally indicated by the reference character 39 and is secured at its other end 48 upon the periphery of a drum 42 freely rotatable on the shaft 16 journalled in the frame members 22 and 24. The strap 3B as will be seen in Figure is divided, half of the strap being located on either side of the strap 36. The divided portions of the strap 38 are secured to the transverse member 34 by riveting or otherwise securing the same to a transverse :plate 44 which is adjustably secured to the angle member 46 Welded to the transverse member 3d, v Adjustment of the plate 44 by means `of the slots 48 and the Screws 5,0 permits lthe equal vtensioning of the vdivided portions of the straps 38. The other ends of thedivided portions of the .strap 38 `are loosely laid across the bottom of the basket formed by the basket formingarms I6 .and I3 and are secured together at their free-ends by a transverse semi-circular section handle bar 52 which is adapted to be hooked over the transverse member 30 when the apparatus is in position for loading. y

Secured to the strap38 and the handle bar 52 is a, transverse, reverse bent, channel hook sectioned member 54 which is adapted to engage a similar channel hook sectioned member 56 secured tothe strap 36 adjacent to the handle thereof, as may be seen in Figures 2 and '1, it beingappreciated that thestrap 36 may loe drawn around a bundle of elongated units 28 by reason of the rotation of the drum 42 from the position shown in Figure 1 to that shown in Figure 2.

For the purpose of applying a slight initial tensio-n to the strap 36 so that the same may be readily extensible through wrapping or unwrapping upon the drum to any desired degree to embracevarying sized groups of objects to be bundled together, the drum is provided with a hub extension 58 around which is wrapped a strap B0 secured at one end to the hub as at 6I,

its other end being secured to a coil spring 64 extending to the frame. It will appear that the spring 64 .and strap 68 constantly urge the drum 42 to rotate inca clockwise direction to lightly tension the strap 36 and take up slack.

To apply bundling tension to the straps v36 and 38, power means are provided to rotate the drum clockwise under a substantially uniform torque.

For this purpose there is provided a fluid pressure cylinder 62 supported from the frame members `26 and 28, and a reciprocatable piston 64 therein having a piston rod 66 provided with a crosshead V68 and parallel guide rods 18. Through a, link 12 connected to the crosshead 68, a .crank arm 14 is rotated by movement of the piston 64, the crank arm being secured to shaft 16 upon which the drum 42 freely rotates. An over-running clutch or ratchet and pawl 18 and 8B respectively, are provided whereby upon rotation of the crank 14 in a clockwise direction, the drum may be caused to rotate. Since the movement of the crank arm 14 is restricted to aV relatively small ;ang1e, and since it is desirable to apply a substantially uniform Ytension when the bundling operation is performed, initial tension in the strap 36 is taken up by the spring 64 4 the belt 68 heretofore described. In order to completely and positively disengage Vthe pawl from the ratchet during the initial slack take up, the pawl 88, pivotally mounted upon the arm 14 and ordinarily resiliently urged into engagement with the ratchet 18, is caused tor assume a disengaged position by reason of a cam-like engagement with a cam 83 carried on a frame supported arm 82 when the crank arm .14 is in 'the initial or rest positic'an.V The arm 82 may also act as a limit `to restrict the angular movement of the crank 14 upon return to the position shown in Figure 1 thereof. A return spring 84 extending between the crosshead 68 and a fixed bracket 86 is adapted to Areturn the piston and the crank arm to the initial position upon the relief of fluid pressure within the cylinder.

To control the application of pressure to the cylinder from a source of fluid pressure, a valve 88 is provided, the valve having a vertically extended rotatable operating Vrod 98, provided with a handle 92 at its/upper end located adjacent to the transverse frame member 34 Vand adapted to be engaged by a hook 94 (see Figure 1) on the under side of the strap 36 adjacent the bundle engaging end thereof. It will thus appear that tension upon the strap l36 will tend to maintain the valve in an on? position by its engagement with the control handle 92 and that thevalve will be moved Yto open position only by clockwise rotation of the control handle 92 as shown -in Figure 5. The valve is so constructed and-arranged as to permit the cylinder to exhaust when the source of Iiuid pressure is cut off, as will be well understood in the art.

The operation of vthe Yapparatus-willbe understood from a consideration ofthe foregoingdescription. Briefly, however, Ya, plurality Aof objects such as rolls of wallpaper .as indicated at 28 are placed within the basket arms I6 and I8 with their ends extending slightly beyond the arms I6 and I8. Thereafter the strap'36 is unhooked from the valve handle 92 and wrapped Yaround the group of objects or Wallpaper rolls, as the case may be, .and hooked to the end of Ythe divided strap 38 through interengagement of the hooks `56 and 54. Sucient slack vfor this operation is provided by thecounterclockwise free Vro- Y tation of the drum 42 :againstthe lighttension of a spring 64. At this time the end of thedivided strap 38 may be unhooked from its normal resting position across the basket transverse mem-ber 30 and the bundle allowed toV freely assume the position shown in Figure 2. Thereupon the Valve 88 is operated admitting compressed air into the cylinder 62 from a source of previously predetermined pressure. .is thereupon kdriven from right to left rotating the crank arm 14 clockwise. Upon initial movement of the crank arm away from the bracket 32 the pawl is disengaged from the cam 83 Aand is resiliently urged into engagement withthe ratchet 18, causing the drum 42 to'rotateand tension the strap 36 in an amount proportional to the pressure of the uid Within the cylinder. This causes the bundle of article-s to be compressed and to generally assume a shape cylindrical in contour at which time a string or cord may be placed around either end of the bundle and tied. It will be understood that in applying such cord no tension whatsoever need -be used and in fact the vcord may be somewhat'loosely applied to the bundle while the same'is being tied, for the tension upon the straps 36 and 38'is such as to compress the fbundle to such a degree that The piston.

when the pressure is relieved the bundle will expand into snug engagement with the binding cords thereby providing a bundle properly tied under a predetermined degree of pressure. Upon completion of the tying of suitable cords around the bundle thevalve is closed, the cylinder exhausted and the pavvl ibearing arm 14 returned to its initial position whereupon the pawl 80 is positively disengaged from the ratchet 18. The bundle may thereafter be removed from the einbrace of the straps 36 and 38 by uncoupling the 'hooks 54 and 56.

It will appear that with such an apparatus, a uniform, proper and predetermined bundling lpressure may be applied to each bundle with the vresult'l that under no circumstances will the articles of which the bundle is composed be injured, provided the proper pressurehas been se-lected. It will also appear that by controlling the pressure that is to be provided in the bundling operation the tension of the cords, which are rmly placed around the bundle, and which finally secure the lbundle together, after the bundling pressure is released, will be applied with a tension properly selected to avoid injury to the objects in the bundle which are. in immediate engagement with the cords. It will also appear that if desired any suitable wrapping material may be wrapped around the group of objects prior to embracing the objects with the straps for the bundling operation, which wrapping material may safeguard the later applied cords from injuring the bundle objects. With the apparatus set forth it will appear that the operator in applying the cords around the bundle might apply no'tension whatsoever to the cords prior to tying and for this reason a single operator may bind a plurality of bundles without danger of laceration of the hands since the cord need only be lightly gripped in arranging the same upon the bundle and in tying the knot. It will of course appear obvious that bands of any suitable sort may be employed in place of cords and that in the normal operation of the apparatus the application of the bands to the bundle will be facilitated in that the b-ands may be applied while in slackened condition, and the ends joined while free of tension.

While a single embodiment of the machine has been described and illustrated it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be altered in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention as would be well understood by those skilled in the art. Reference thus is had to the appended claims for a denition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a bundling machine the combination of a bundle-receiving basket, crossed flexible bundlecompressing members adapted to lie along the lower outline of the basket, means for securing the bundle-engaging ends of said members together after passing around opposite sides of a bundle resting in said basket, means for applying sufiicient initial tension to one of said members to take up slack independently of the size of said bundle, and power-operated means for applying uniform bundling tension to said one of said members.

2. In a bundling machine, a bundle receiving basket, crossed flexible members adapted to lie along the lower outline of the basket, means for securing the bundle engaging ends of said memless than the slack take up means'v for applying a bundling tension to one of the members adjacent the other end thereof and clutch means for transmitting power from said power means to said one of the members through said slack take up means.

3. In a bundling machine, a bundle receiving basket, crossed flexible members adapted to lie along the lower outline of the basket, means for securing the bundle engaging ends of said members together after passing around opposite sides of a bundle, initial tension means to take up slack in said members, means for applying a bundling tension independent of the size of said bundle to the other end of one of said members including limited movement power means, and means for applying the power means to saidniember subsequent to the operation of the slack take up of the initial tension means.

4. In a bundling machine, a bundle supporting basket, crossed flexible members adapted lie along the base of the basket, means for securing the bundle engaging ends of said members togethe-r after passing around opposite sides of a bundle arranged within said basket, whereby tension upon the opposite ends of said members will apply a squeezing pressure upon the bundle, resilient means for eliminating slack associated with one of said members, and limited movement power means adapted at will to be connected to said one of said members to apply a predetermined squeezing pressure to the bundle.

5. In a bundling machine, a bundle receiving basket, composed of spaced apart bundle receiving supports, a pair of crossed eXib-le bundling members adapted to lie along the base outline of said supports and therebetween, means for connecting the free ends of said members together after passing the members around the opposite sides of a bundle, means for app-lying suflicient tension to the other end of one of said members to take up the slack in said member, said means comprising a drum upon which said one of said members is Wrapped and power-operated means' for engaging said drum at any slack take up position and applying a uniform xed bundling torque thereto.

6. In a bundling machine, a bundle-receiving basket thereon having spaced bundle-supporting arms, crossed flexible members adapted to lie along the base of said basket and between said arms, means for securing the bundle-.engaging ends of said members together after passing around opposite sides of the bundle, means for securing the other end of one of the members to the frame, a rotatable drum mounted Within the frame, means for securing the other end of the other member to said drum, means for applying a light torque to said drum to apply initial tension to said other member, and power-operated means for applying a uniform bundling pressure to said other member, said last-mentioned means being coupled to said drum so as to effect its rotation irrespective of the position of the drum occasioned by the initial tensioning movement.

7. In a bundling machine, a frame, a bundle receiving basket thereon having spaced bundle supporting arms, crossed eXible members adapted to lie along the base of said basket and between said arms, means for securing the bundle engaging ends of said members together after passing around opposite sides of the bundle, means for securing the other end of one of the members to the frame, a drum mounted within the frame, and means for securing the other end of the other member to said drum, means for applying a light torque to said drum for slack take up purposes,

-a uid pressure cylinder and piston, a crank arm vactuated thereby rotatable on a common axis With said drum, and ratchet means for transmit- Ating movement of said crank arm to said drum.

8. In a bundling machine, a frame, a bundle receiving basket thereon having spaced bundle supporting arms, crossed. flexible members adapted to lie along the base of said lbasket and between said arms, means for securing the bundle engaging' ends of said members together after passing ,around opposite sides of the bundle, means for securing the other end of one of the members to the frame, a drum mounted Within the frame, .and'means for securing the other end of the other member to said drum, means for applying a light torque to said drum for slack take up purposes, a

fluid pressure cylinder and piston, .a crank arm Varound opposite sides of the Ibundle, means for securing the other end of one of the members to the frame, a drum mounted within the frame, andY means vfor securing the other end of the other member to Said drum, means for applying a light torque to said drum for slack take up purposes, fluid pressure means for rotating said drum and applying a greater torque thereto, manual means having an on and oi position for controlling the flow of fluid to said fluid pressure means, and

crossed relationship, comprises the combinationof Yspring-actuated means for asserting a light preliminary tension means upon said other Yirlernberfor engagingsaid manual means when saidmembers are `disarm-- nected, and adapted to :hold said manual means in Yan off position by said slack take up.

10. In a Abundle-wrappingmachine of the type having a receptacle for holding elongated substantially cylindrical objects in horizontally disposed position and circumferentially bundleenfolding tape-like'bundling -means arranged in the improvement which upon said tapes so asfto initiate the assembly of ksaid cylindrical objects and final power-driven tensioning means adapted to increase thetension to a predetermined controlled bundling-tension, said latter means comprising a uid-pressure cylinder and piston, and iink-and-drum means connecting said piston with said nal tensioning means. j

` Y NATHAN Cpl-EATON.

STEPHEN A. 'SARNE'CKL REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Yfile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS n Date Number Name y Y 306,729 YElder Oct. 21, V1884 1,941,880k Earll Jan. 2, 19434 438,215 Young oct. 14, '1890 1,208,524: Edwards Dec. 12, 1916 311,424 EverettV et al. 'Jan, 27, 1885 458,938 Bloomfield Septfl, 1891 1,153,188 Block Sept. 14, '19145 l FOREIGN' PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain an. 18, 19723 

